The people of Hell will abide therein forever

Question

Will the torment of the people of Hell in Hell be neverending, or will there come a time when it will end?.

Answer

Praise be to Allaah.

The people of Hell will remain in Hell being tormented
without end. This is indicated by a great deal of evidence from the Qur’aan
and Sunnah.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked: Is Hell eternal or will it
come to an end?

He replied:

What is definite is that it is eternal, and no other view is
known among the salaf. Hence the scholars made this one of their tenets of
faith, so that we believe that Hell is eternal and will last forever. This
is a matter concerning which there is no doubt, because Allaah has mentioned
the eternal nature of Hell in three places in the Qur’aan:

1 – In Soorat al-Nisa, where He says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“Verily, those who
disbelieve and did wrong [by concealing the truth about Prophet Muhammad and
his message of true Islamic Monotheism written in the Tawraatt (Torah) and
the Injeel (Gospel) with them]; Allaah will not forgive them, nor will He
guide them to any way.

Except the way of Hell, to dwell therein forever”

[al-Nisa’ 4:168-169]

2 – In Soorat al-Ahzaab, where He says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“Verily, Allaah has
cursed the disbelievers, and has prepared for them a flaming Fire (Hell)

Wherein they will abide
for ever”

[al-Ahzaab 33:64]

3 – In Soorat al-Jinn, where He says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“and whosoever disobeys
Allaah and His Messenger, then verily, for him is the fire of Hell, he shall
dwell therein forever”

[al-Jinn 72:23]

If Allaah had mentioned the eternal nature of Hell in one
place, that would have been sufficient, so how about if He has mentioned it
in three places? It is strange that a group of scholars are of the view that
Hell will cease to exist, based on false arguments which go against what is
indicated by the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and they misinterpreted the meanings of
the Qur’aan and Sunnah and said that the words “dwell therein forever” mean
for as long as it exists.

How can this be correct? If they are to dwell therein
forever, that means that Hell itself must last forever, as they will be in
it. If a person is to dwell in some place forever, then the place where he
will be must last forever as well, because if that place will cease to exist
then he cannot dwell forever. The verse is very clear, and the arguments
which go against the text are to be rejected.

This difference of
opinion which was narrated from a few scholars is to be rejected, because it
goes against the clear text which every believer must believe in. Whoever
goes against it because of some argument that he comes up with may be
excused before Allaah. But whoever studies the texts of the Qur’aan and
Sunnah will know that the view that Hell will last forever is the truth
which cannot be ignored.

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen,
2/55-56

It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah:

There is a great deal of evidence in the Qur’aan and Sunnah
to show that Hell will never cease to exist, and that the kaafireen will
abide in Hell forever and will never come out of it. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):

“This, because you took
the Revelations of Allaah (this Qur’aan) in mockery, and the life of the
world deceived you. So this Day, they shall not be taken out from there
(Hell), nor shall they be returned to the worldly life (so that they repent
to Allaah, and beg His Pardon for their sins)”

[al-Jaathiyah 45:35]

“Surely, those who
disbelieved in Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs,
revelations, etc.), We shall burn them in Fire. As often as their skins are
roasted through, We shall change them for other skins that they may taste
the punishment”

[al-Nisa’ 4:56]

“but he whom He sends
astray, for such you will find no Awliyaa’ (helpers and protectors) besides
Him, and We shall gather them together on the Day of Resurrection on their
faces, blind, dumb and deaf; their abode will be Hell; whenever it abates,
We shall increase for them the fierceness of the Fire.

That is their recompense,
because they denied Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs,
revelations, etc.) and said: “When we are bones and fragments, shall we
really be raised up as a new creation?”

[al-Isra’ 17:97]

“But those who
disbelieved (in the Oneness of Allaah – Islamic Monotheism) and denied Our
Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they
will be the dwellers of the Fire, to dwell therein forever. And worst indeed
is that destination”

[al-Taghaabun 64:10]

“and whosoever disobeys
Allaah and His Messenger, then verily, for him is the fire of Hell, he shall
dwell therein forever”

[al-Jinn 72:23]

“Verily, the Mujrimoon
(criminals, sinners, disbelievers) will be in the torment of Hell to abide
therein forever.

(The torment) will not be
lightened for them, and they will be plunged into destruction with deep
regrets, sorrows and in despair therein.

We wronged them not, but
they were the Zaalimoon (polytheists, wrongdoers).

And they will cry: ‘O
Malik (Keeper of Hell)! Let your Lord make an end of us.” He will say:
“Verily, you shall abide forever.’

Indeed We have brought
the truth (Muhammad with the Qur’aan) to you, but most of you have a hatred
for the truth”

[al-Zukhruf 43:74]

“And of mankind are some
who take (for worship) others besides Allaah as rivals (to Allaah). They
love them as they love Allaah. But those who believe, love Allaah more (than
anything else). If only, those who do wrong could see, when they will see
the torment, that all power belongs to Allaah and that Allaah is Severe in
punishment.

When those who were
followed disown (declare themselves innocent of) those who followed (them),
and they see the torment, then all their relations will be cut off from
them.

And those who followed
will say: ‘If only we had one more chance to return (to the worldly life),
we would disown (declare ourselves as innocent from) them as they have
disowned (declared themselves as innocent from) us.’ Thus Allaah will show
them their deeds as regrets for them. And they will never get out of the
Fire”

[al-Baqarah 2:165-167]

“Verily, those who belie
Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and
treat them with arrogance, for them the gates of heaven will not be opened,
and they will not enter Paradise until the camel goes through the eye of the
needle (which is impossible). Thus do We recompense the Mujrimûn (criminals,
polytheists, sinners).

Theirs will be a bed of
Hell (Fire), and over them coverings (of Hell-fire). Thus do We recompense
the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers)”

[al-A’raaf 7:40-41]

“But those who disbelieve
(in the Oneness of Allaah — Islamic Monotheism), for them will be the fire
of Hell. Neither will it have a complete killing effect on them so that they
die nor shall its torment be lightened for them. Thus do We requite every
disbeliever!

Therein they will cry:
“Our Lord! Bring us out, we shall do righteous good deeds, not (the evil
deeds) that we used to do.” (Allaah will reply:) “Did We not give you lives
long enough, so that whosoever would receive admonition could receive it?
And the warner came to you. So taste you (the evil of your deeds). For the
Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers) there is no helper”

[Faatir 35:36]

“Truly, Hell is a place
of ambush —

A dwelling place for the
Taaghoon (those who transgress the boundary limits set by Allaah, like
polytheists, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah, hypocrites, sinners,
criminals),

So taste you (the results
of your evil actions). No increase shall We give you, except in torment”

[al-Naba’ 78:21-30]

And there are other verses which all indicate that the kuffaar will abide in Hell for eternity and will never come out, and it will never cease to exist. When taken all together this view is very strong and there is no room for misinterpretation .